Classic Kids Wagon

How many of you had a classic kids wagon when you were small? Maybe a Radio Flyer metal deck one or a wood deck wagon with removable gates on the sides. If you’re a Mom now, then you are likely to have, or have had, a more current version like a Little Tykes plastic wagon or something like it?

The girls grandparents bought them this fantastic classic kids wagon when they were small, and it is the one ‘baby item’ we still have and use regularly.

These gems are not inexpensive – even the plastic ones can run you well over $100 – and the wood and metal wagons are even more, so this is not an item to be thrown away. EVER!

No matter how grungy and dirty your wood wagon gets:

We use our wooden wagon for everything from moving rocks and grass clippings, to taking patio chairs, towels and a cooler to the beach. I used it just last week actually so I wouldn’t have to carry towels and backpacks for the girls or their friends while we were at the water park. Invaluable!

But beat up, and quite obviously in the original colours of a classic kids wagon. I wanted to clean it up and turn it into a party wagon… A Rust-Oleum® party wagon to be exact!

*This is a sponsored post. I was provided with supplies from Rust-Oleum® Canada in exchange for showcasing their products and writing an honest review. All opinions are sincere and my own.

Our wooden wagon needed a deep and thorough clean before it’s facelift so I started with Krud Kutter® – a non-toxic cleaner that is safe for the environment, but extremely powerful and can remove everything from grime and grease to pet stains and dried on latex paint. There are a few instances of paint sprayer over-spray on our wagon, so Krud Kutter® was a no-brainer to get everything cleaned up.

Spray on, wipe off and then I rinsed as well.

Still stained, but considerably better.

I removed all the hardware and gave our wood wagon a good sanding all over with 120 grit sandpaper.

I’m a believer in priming your projects. I’ve done more than my fair share of projects without using primer and I can honestly tell you that the adhesion isn’t nearly as strong. You’ll find you get scratches and even peeling – and let’s face it, that’s just a waste of hard work. I forgot to take photos during this classic wood wagon makeover, but trust me, I used Zinsser® Bulls Eye 1-2-3® to seal, level and protect the wood before painting. Zinsser® Bulls Eye 1-2-3® is a water-based primer, so clean up is just as easy as with any latex paint – warm water and a bit of soap if you want. It works for indoor and outdoor applications and creates a mold and mildew resistant film. I use this stuff for everything, and for good reason.

The spray paint made coating the wooden wagon grates a breeze – every nook and cranny easily covered in thin even coats. Ignore the over-spray on the floor – my husband loves when I do that. lol

I was surprised at the colour of the navy Painter’s Touch® paint though – I stirred and stirred the can, but three coats later the wagon still looks closer to royal blue than to navy? For this project I didn’t mind; bold and bright are perfect for party wagon colours.

I might choke though if this was the colour I got when expecting navy on kitchen cabinets or something larger.

What I do love about the Painter’s Touch® Ultra Cover is that it is resistant to fading (and peeling and chipping). Since our wagon sees a lot of sunshine carting around our stuff from garden to park to beach, I didn’t want my colours to yellow-out.

There she is – the Rust-Oleum® party wagon! Ready to haul food and wine to a backyard barbecue or sand toys and towels to the beach.

The Krud Kutter® was able to remove most of the latex over-spray that had accumulated over the years. It would have gotten it all, but I got lazy. Don’t be concerned, I can still remove any extra drips or spills later – Krud Kutter® can remove latex paint that has been dried-on for years!

Zinsser® Bulls Eye 1-2-3® sealed the wood, blocked mildew and leveled the surface beautifully in time for the vibrant Painter’s Touch® colours.

Three coats of navy and three coats of key lime for durability, protection and gorgeous shine!

I guess I could have cleaned and painted out the wheel wells as well; Painter’s Touch® Ultra also works on metal and helps block rust – but for today my classic wooden wagon turned Rust-Oleum® party wagon is done!

It’s fun right?! You can’t help but smile when you see this wood wagon coming – even when it’s empty (but people will smile more if it’s filled with food)

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